Texas Southern University News September 10, 2010 Preservation of TSU Murals An official campaign is underway to preserve all the murals at Texas Southern University, including the student murals in Hannah Hall. Initial restoration discussions began two years ago for the art program to develop a preservation plan for the murals. It is moving forward now with initial funding from the institution for a consultant to develop the plan. President John M. Rudley is underwriting $50,000 through his office to hire a conservator who will review the murals and develop a plan for restoration, preservation and conservation for all of the murals. “I am committed to preserving the great history of Texas Southern University and its mural and art program, as well as its African Art Collection, significant letters and papers and major archives, including the papers of Barbara Jordan and Mickey Leland,” Rudley said. “I am looking forward to receiving the conservator’s plan that will include an assessment to determine the murals that should be restored, the priority for restoration and a budget to determine the full cost of the program so that we can develop a systematic plan to fund the preservation of TSU’s artistic treasures.” College of Liberal Arts and Behavioral Sciences Dean Danille Taylor is creating a Mural Preservation task force of faculty, alumni and students to lead the efforts and the funding campaign once the assessment is completed. The dean and the task force will work with the Office of Development to develop funding requests to private foundations and corporations and the Office of Research to assist with grant proposals to state and federal agencies. Student Government President Kedarious Colbert has been working with student leaders and students in the art program to identify projects that the students can undertake to assist with the funding and preservation efforts. One possible project would be an “Adopt-a-Mural” program where donors can identify with a specific mural and assist with funding its restoration. The University Museum recently received a grant from the Institute for Museum and Library Services for $80,000 to catalog and photograph the full Texas Southern art collection, which will allow the University to develop a web-based tour of all the art on campus. The mural project has been added to the online donor opportunities for alumni and individual donors on the TSU website, www.tsu.edu/giving<http://www.tsu.edu/giving>. For more information on the Mural Preservation campaign, contact Dean Danille Taylor, taylordk@tsu.edu<mailto:taylordk@tsu.edu>, or TSU Director of Development Carolyne Oliver, olivercb@tsu.edu<mailto:olivercb@tsu.edu>. SANDRA M. PHOENIX Program Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> 404.592.4820 1438 West Peachtree Street NW Suite 200 Atlanta, GA 30309 Toll Free: 1.800.999.8558 (Lyrasis) Fax: 404.892.7879 www.lyrasis.org<http://www.lyrasis.org/> Honor the ancestors, honor the children. Register now http://www.hbculibraries.org/html/meeting-form.html for the October 24-26, 2010 HBCU Library Alliance 4th Membership Meeting and the "Conference on Advocacy" pre-conference in Montgomery, AL. The Pre-Conference and Membership meeting are open to directors and other librarians.